Details for Norq44

I have recently moved to the San Marcos 92078 area. Looking for someone interested in hitting for a couple hours once a week. I have balls, screen etc. I also pitch.
Available any day during the week, morning preferable, but afternoon would work too.
Don Norquist
904-347-1548

I'm sure this subject has been thoroughly discussed, but I stopped coming to this board some time ago. I see the antagonists seem to have either toned down or been asked to leave. I am wondering if I could get some feedback on pitching masks. They aren't required in Florida but I am back in Nevada now and need to purchase one. Any help in this issue would be greatly appreciated. If I had my way, I would NOT choose to wear one, but I understand that it is a mandatory piece of equipment now.

Gary,
You are probably the biggest reason that I don't post to this board very often. On more than one occasion you have managed to raise my blood pressure with your comments.
I will answer your questions:
In my opinion, the umpire was definitely wrong. And he didn't make matters any better by ringing me up on the next pitch.
Could I have spoken to him in a different manner? Definitely, I could have been a lot worse than I was. You had to have been there.
As far as singling out his partner, I wasn't singling anyone out, that's just what came out of my mouth at the time. The truth is there is no way I would ever have hurt anyone on the right side of the field. I can't hit there.
As far as players having to take accountability for their roles in these problems, I'm sure that your statement is accurate some of the time, but I don't think senior softball players are going out of their way to instigate arguments with umpires. The reality is there are guys out there who should not be umpiring. There are some really good men and women umpiring, and there are some who are just there for the money.

Another florida umpire with attitude! Two weeks ago I'm playing in a FHC tournament, hitting third in the line-up. This is the first inning of the game, we are visitor. Lead off hits a single, second batter hits a triple. I step into the batter's box to hit. The opposing first baseman says the runner missed first. The field umpire walks over to first base, the first base coach walks out on the field,and the three of them are standing with their backs to home plate. I am now standing in the batter's box using my bat as a cane, watching to see where this conference is going. The pitcher proceeds to throw a pitch, that lands squarely in the middle of the plate, the home plate umpire, instead of saying no pitch, because time was called, says "strike two" (we are playing with the one and one count). I turn and look at him. I asked him if he was aware of the fact that there were THREE people standing at first base with their backs to the plate. I said, "what would you have said had I swung at that pitch and hit your fellow umpire in the back of the head"? His comment was very belligerent, and was something like "You would have found out".By now I am incredulous. I said, "you've got to be kidding me, time was out". He says, "play ball". The next pitch is high, inside, about 3 inches off the matt, also about three inches deep. You guessed it. Strike three! He rings me up with great fanfare, and a big smirk on his face. I was supposed to be pitching this game, I had to take myself out of the field, I wasn't sure I would ever get a strike called by this umpire. Between games the field umpire thanked me for not putting the ball in play during the first base conference. I didn't bother to tell him that I can't hit to right! But this is just another example of an umpire who considers himself to be the center of the game.

Back in the late 90's I was playing in a men's open league at one of our Las Vegas launching pads ( Arroyo Grande), this was long before they got smart and put up the netting. were already out of home runs and my attempt at hitting the ball down resulted in a line drive to left center field that I thought was going to hit the top of the fence, it didn't, it carried over the fence and continued on it's merry way right into the back window of a Ford Explorer, naturally it just exploded the window. The left center fielder on the opposing team was a friend of mine, he came in at the half inning and told me what had happened. On my next at-bat, I hit the same pitch in exactly the same way, with the exact same result. Only this time it hit right at the top of the window frame and left a big dent. I only found out later that it was our umpire's Ford Explorer.

I have three sons playing softball. The oldest is still playing at the highest level,in left field for Resmondo, I never had the opportunity to play with him, but I have played tournaments and league with my two youngest sons. Once in a tournament in Las Vegas we went back to back to back homeruns, all for inning ending outs. we already had that game well in hand, but it sure shortened the game.

Some early slow pitch softball history can be seen at the USSSA Hall of Fame at Ocseola County Stadium in Kissimmee, Florida. They have a whole wall of history there. Also a lot of memorabilia. This is the stadium that the Houston Astros use for their spring training facility, and it is also used for the USSSA spring major and A level opening tournaments,and the conference tournament in early September. What's fun about these tournaments is you get to see the best softball players in the world compete.

A little birdie called me last night and informed me about this, and I would like to add my congatulations also. I don't have to add any accolades as Joe has said it for me. There really aren't too many guys that can fill your shoes Steve.

Funny, I don't feel old as dirt, but I surely do remember every one of them.Of course I was born and raised in Minnesota, we were two full years behind with everything. Concerning the pea shooters. I still have the scar on the roof of my mouth where I fell with the damn thing in my mouth. Lucky it hit on the boney part or I probably would have driven the thing into my brain.

Omar, let me clarify something. I don't have any fears about the screen or the PPR rule. As I said, I have been pitching for 38 years. I have not been hit very often. (except in the glove). Truth be known, I get a rush out of the prospect of having a batter try me up the middle. All I am saying here is that I refuse to play with screens and PPR rules. Here in Florida we have the Florida Half Century, we play the game the way it was meant to be played. No PPR, no screen, unlimited home runs, unlimited runs per inning. Softball the way it was meant to be played.
This will be my last post again for a while so I will give you my opinion on bats and balls.
I went from being an occasional home run hitter with wood bats (1968), to a prolific home run hitter with the first magnesium/aluminum alloy bats, then things cooled a bit and I was again, an occasional home run hitter. ( had to do with getting older etc. I suppose). Then I picked up the Miken Ultra. Oh my God! These bats have ruined this game. You see guys hitting home runs now that never did as younger men. I could go on and on here, but we have all seen enough of this retoric. I am all for taking this game back to the time where you hit the hard because you worked at it. Get rid of the majic bats, or dummy down the balls, or do nothing. Just don't change the game.

I am in agreement with Dirty on this one. I am opposed to any rules having to do with hitting the middle. I am opposed to any obstructions on the field. It is only a matter of time until a ball is deflected off the side of the screen that is going to hit a pitcher that otherwise would not have been hit. Also there will be some unlucky guy that runs into the screen during a play. There is not supposed to be an obstacle on the field like that. I had the opportunity to play in an SSUSA Qualifier last spring, consequently I had the opportunity to see the PPR in action. the word "obtuse" comes to mind. I have made up my mind about these middle issues, I am NOT going to play in another SSUSA function with any PPR rules and or a screen on the field. (By the way, I am a pitcher, been pitching for the last 38 years). I don't care what balls or bats we use. I would play with wood bats and cork center balls. Let's just play the game the way it was meant to be played.

Having played in the Qualifier this past weekend in Auburndale/Winterhaven, I now feel qualified to comment on the "Pitcher Protection Rule". I was around for the whole weekend and I had the opportunity to see many games. Here is my opinion for what it's worth.
This rule needs to be IMMEDIATELY rescinded. It does nothing to protect the pitcher. In fact, the way it is being used on the field, there will definitely be someone hurt badly at some point this summer. I was directly behind the screen watching shot after shot go up the middle in one game, and the umpire came back to get a drink between innings and I questioned him concerning this rule. I was floored by what he told me. He said " the ball has to HIT the pitcher, he must not have made ANY move to field it, and he MUST be standing in the little box provided". I have been pitching slow pitch softball since 1973, so I am no expert, but I can assure you that this rule as it is currently being interpreted does not work. It does not stop anyone from hitting middle.
In my humble opinion there are only two viable ways to make this game a little safer for the pitcher. One way would be to put the pitcher in a 6 foot diameter circle and institute a "Halo Rule" whereby if a ball passes through that circle any lower than the pitchers head it be an inning ending out. ( I know a lot of you readers are going to be shaking your heads on this, but the penalty has to be severe or it will not force the hitter to change). I also will add that I am not in favor of doing this, I'm just saying it is one way to stop the middle hitting that is now happening.
I think the very best thing to do is to find the proper ball to play with.
We had the opportunity to hit the .52 cor. 275 comp. ball at CST in February, and it was flying out of the park. What am I missing here?? I have read that this ball is many times less dangerous than the current ball we are playing with. Is it going to take a tragedy on the field to finally get it right? Who among us wants to be that martyr?

I was watching my youngest son play in Kissimmee this past weekend and was ringside for the middle wars that are currently being waged at the major and "A" levels. Imagine the very best hitters in the game of softball going middle. That is what is happening. In the game between Dan Smith and Johnnie Blaze in the third inning the Johnnie Blaze pitcher (Danny Sanchez) took one straight in the nose. He is a tough kid, he actually got up and walked off the field. But for safety's sake he was transported to the hospital and went through a battery of tests. He has a badly broken nose, his septum is crushed, and he may have to have some additional surgery to repair the septum after the swelling goes down. Interestingly, after the Sanchez injury, most of the upper level pitchers started wearing head gear. Also I noticed that every time a home run was struck, that bat was tested. I was talking with John Daniels, the sponsor of Long Haul , he told me that he has ordered several of the head gear that his pitchers were wearing, and I might add that Long Haul's pitchers were both wearing the head gear prior to the Sanchez injury.

Jose#12, from my viewpoint I would suggest that it really doesn't require any breakin period. They are really a great bat right out of the wrapper. In fact, last night we were hitting one that was still IN the wrapper, we hit with 60 cor. 150 comp rubber balls, ( these balls don't damage the bats), and we were hitting them out with the Miken Ultra II maxload. These balls are 100 feet less than a .40 cor. 375 comp ball. And I definitely wouldn't be letting anyone else swing your bat. Keep it for when it matters!!

I have three sons that play softball. My oldest plays at the major level, and my youngest will too one day. I have had several opportunities to play with my two younger sons, both in leagues and in tournaments. I think my highlight was in a tournament in Las Vegas in 2005, it was Dan, Mike, then me in the batting order, we went back to back to back Home runs for outs. And they were inning ending outs! We still won the game.

I'm not an umpire, nor am I an expert at the rules, but I don't think a runner who is being forced to third base would be protected from a tag just because he is now standing back on second base. In my opinion the third base player should tag that runner ( whether he is standing on second base or not) and then step on second base for the force out. Double play!

to the SSUSA staff, why does the whole thread have to be removed?Why can't you just remove the offending party, you know, like a time out, go sit in the corner, two weeks detention, something like that. It seems to me that every once in a while you have done that in the past, either that or some of the offending parties must have gone on vacation. All that happens now is certain individuals are allowed to post the words that ruin it for everyone else. Just kick them off for some period of time. And after three such infractions, you could send them away for good.

Dirty, one of these days one of the MANY softball players you have insulted is going to have the opportunity to stand face to face with you. I hope to be there to see it.I would bet the farm that you will be singing a different tune than the one you sing on this board.

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